Mar 31, 2008

Prescription drugs in irrigation water

"No one wants to be exposed to materials that are not supposed to be in water and are slated for medicinal purposes," Avisar notes. "The concentrations are low, but healthy it is not. There are other concerns such as the proliferation of remnants of antibiotics will increase the stamina of bacteria against them."
Avisar noted that his research found traces of antibiotics and hormones and said his team is now testing groundwater for pharmaceutical substances.

News reports in the U.S. also indicated that bottled-water consumers may also be exposed to the dangers, as water producers do not test for pharmaceuticals or take any action to filter them out of bottled water. There are currently no regulations governing acceptable quantities of medical material in water.

The levels of the pharmaceuticals found both in the U.S. were low, but this does not negate the possibility of health and environmental effects. News network CNN quoted a senior pharmaceutical executive who estimated that even exposure to low concentrations of the drugs could have an adverse affect on health.